Wind farm: A damaging blow

The blades from the 25 turbines at the Kumeyaay Wind project at the Campo Indian Reservation were removed after a storm on Dec. 7 brought winds that topped 70 mph, causing extensive damage.

The blades from the 25 turbines at the Kumeyaay Wind project at the Campo Indian Reservation were removed after a storm on Dec. 7 brought winds that topped 70 mph, causing extensive damage. (John Gibbins)

Cranes were used to lower the blades of the turbines. Repairing the wind farm is expected to take a month or two.

Cranes were used to lower the blades of the turbines. Repairing the wind farm is expected to take a month or two. (John Gibbins)

Workers are inspecting and repairing 75 wind turbine blades at a wind farm some 60 miles east of San Diego after a storm a month ago caused catastrophic damage to some of them.

“We’re mobilizing equipment and spare parts to the site,” said David Barnes, chief executive of Dallas-based Bluarc Management, which operates the Kumeyaay Wind project at the Campo Indian Reservation.

The last blade from the 25 turbines came down Monday.

The blades were damaged in a winter storm Dec. 7, when wind speeds topped 70 mph. The 20-story-high turbines, visible from Interstate 8, are designed to stop spinning at winds above 50 mph.